This invention relates to Mn alloy materials for magnetic materials, Mn alloy sputtering targets, and magnetic thin films. More particularly, this invention relates to Mn alloys for anti-ferromagnetic thin films, Mn alloy sputtering targets, and anti-ferromagnetic thin films.
Magnetic recording media for computers, such as hard disks, have in recent years been rapidly reduced in size but expanded in capacity; recording densities as high as 200 Gb/in.sup.2 are expected to be realized in years to come. Accordingly, recording heads of the conventional induction type have approached the limit of their utility and are being supplanted by magnetoresistance effect type (AMR) heads. The spread of the personal computer market promises dramatic growth of demand for the AMR heads on the global basis. In a few years the heads of giant magnetoresistance effect type (GMR) with even greater density potential will come in practical use.
GMR heads use a spin valve film of antimagnetic film, and Mn alloys have been studied as possible materials for forming the antimagnetic film.
Mn alloys, especially Mn-Fe alloys and the like, are investigated for the particular application. However, the use of Mn--Fe alloys in fact has a rather unlikely prospect because of their questionable corrosion resistance. Attempts have been made to improve the corrosion resistance by adding noble metals to Mn. The problems they present are that the noble metals are expensive and even the addition of such metals has not enhanced the resistance to a fully satisfactory level.